


In Your Heart The Dawn Will Come

by Space_Dingo



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Retelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 07:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18231656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Dingo/pseuds/Space_Dingo
Summary: A retelling of the Chapter of In Your Heart Shall Burn.





	In Your Heart The Dawn Will Come

**Author's Note:**

> I originally started writing this maybe a year or two ago, but I kept putting it down. This was probably the first fic I ever started, but I finally finished it. Finally. I hope you enjoy it.

The funny thing about being dead is that one would think all sensations within your body would cease. While the world felt as if it were spinning out of control, every nerve in Adahla Lavellan’s body felt like they have been set ablaze. At least the ringing in her ears, she noticed, finally subsided. As the world around her began to slow its course, more and more sensations started to convince the elf that once again, she had miraculously escaped death. Adahla should consider herself fortunate, but when your body hurt as much as hers did, maybe being dead would of been the better option.

The bits of debris and rocks that cushioned Adahla’s back had become unbearably uncomfortable and she tried to sit up only to inhale a sharp breath of air as searing pain racked her torso. Adahla needed to lay back down so that she could determine where the source of the pain came from and it wasn’t long before she located the pain in her rips. Broken? She wasn’t sure. Adahla prayed to the Creators that it was only just a bad bruise and prepared herself to rise to her feet. The action itself would take several tries before she shakily stood up in what looked like a small cavern.

The staff that she used in the fight against the Red Templars only moments? Hours? Earlier. Would need to be used as a walking stick since it could no longer be used for its intended purpose. The fall from Haven had broken the poor thing. Perhaps she could salvage it later. 

Looking about the cavern, Adahla felt a chilly draft blow through the only tunnel and possible exit of what looked like an abandoned mine. As she slowly hobbled her way towards the only hope left, she had no energy left to wonder about the purpose this mine once served, and she put all her might into at least making it out without collapsing to the ground. Aside from the drafty wind that sounded like a sad moan, amplified against the rocky walls, Adahla felt she could hear various noises up ahead. Whether that was a good sign, remained to be seen.

Not long after, the hairs on Adahla’s neck raised as she approached the next cavern. The air grew heavy as she heard what sounded like ripping fabric. No-! Not now. Not here! The only path that the elf followed lead her straight into a Fade Rift- albeit a small one. There was no way she could dodge this, let alone ready herself; the demons were already advancing upon her! Without much time to react, Adahla instinctively raised her hands in defence and wearily stepped back. Except this act caused her to trip on a loose rock and fling her arms about as she fell backwards towards the ground. The demons screeched as a new rift opened up and hungrily sucked them back into the Fade. The crackling and snapping stopped abruptly as the new rift closed almost as quickly as it appeared.

Adahla opened her eyes as she realized she was now left alone with the lone rift. The mark- or Anchor as the Darkspawn Magister, Corypheus called it, flared up momentarily before subsiding back to it’s faint hum of light. Stupefied, Adahla inspected her hand for any change. For all intents and purposes, it was a hand. Her hand. There was nothing out of the ordinary. That is if you called the glowing green mark ordinary. It was permanent according to the Darkspawn. 

Still, the rift illuminated the cavern in sickly green light and Adahla couldn’t let it remain, lest more unsavory demons made their way to this side again. Slowly, the elf made it back onto her feet and shakily raised up her left hand towards the rift before closing it with a crushing motion. 

With the rift out of the way, Adahla could now focus all her energy on getting out of the mine. The cool draft began to get colder as she neared the tunnel opening which opened up into a void of whirling snow. Had it been snowing? Where did this tunnel lead her? Had she been unconscious for long? All these questions filled her mind as Adahla looked out into nothingness obscured by the harsh snow. Bracing for the biting cold, Adahla stepped out into the blizzard. Waiting around was not an option. She needed to find the survivors of Haven- if they survived.

Slowly the descent down the mountain was treacherous. Each step into the snow engulfed her ankles and she felt a chill overtake her. She was not dressed for this kind of weather, yet still she marched on down. Adahla had to. Every now and then Adahla stopped to look about her surroundings. The roaring wind often tricked her mind into thinking she heard the dragon- or Archdemon. Whatever it was. She was not prepared to fight at this point in time. 

Time was lost to the Herald and she felt like all sense of direction no longer meant a thing to her. In the distance trees swayed in the harsh winds. It looked like unknown beings shivering along with Adahla in the cold. She wanted to stop. Wanted to lay down and admit defeat. Adahla had given her all. She had done enough. Just let the herald rest and let someone else carry on. As she was about to sit down and wait for her end, Adahla noticed just barely in the snow what looked like a used firepit. Could she use it to at least warm her hands and rest her weary feet? 

With her staff broken, her conduit for magic was considerably weakened. Even in this state she could only produce small sparks; not enough to get a fire started. Then a thought crept into her mind. The fire pit had only been recently used. Could that mean the survivors of Haven made it? We're they nearby? Adahla brought herself to her feet and pulled the last remainder of her strength to carry her forward just a little more. As she quickened her pace, she stumbled a few times as if the snow was trying to hold her back. But the exhaustion was too much, she stumbled once more and her body refused to pick itself back up. As her vision began to blur, she imagined she could her the familiar voices of the Inquisition leaders.

The tired elf dreamed that she was lifted out of the snow by Cullen. She dreamed about Josephine and Leliana's worried conversation. She dreamed that her name was brought up several times. She dreamed that Cassandra directed Cullen to bring her to a cot in a tent. She dreamed of Mother Giselle softly humming as she dabbed her forehead with a cloth. And she dreamed of a Dawn that has yet to come.


End file.
